Pakistani woman’s search for brother she never met ends in Ludhiana’s village

LUDHIANA: Just a fortnight ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the quest of Pakistan's Sakina Bibi, 67, to track down her brother, now known as Gurmail Singh Grewal, has ended in Ludhiana's Jassowal Sudan village.
If all goes as per plan, the siblings will see each other online in a couple of days- the first time in their lives - once the sister recovers from a gallbladder surgery. Partition had led to Gurmail being split from his family, left behind in India, to be brought up by a Sikh family.
Pakistani YouTuber Nasir Dhillon who is part of Punjabi Lehar - a project to bridge the gap between people of East and West Punjab separated by Partition - has facilitated the reunion of the siblings. He uploaded the video of Sakina Bibi's appeal pertaining to her long-lost brother Gurmail on social media platforms and this was noticed by Jagtar Singh, sarpanch of Jassowal village, who confirmed that Sakina's brother lived in his village.

Talking to TOI over phone, Dhillon said that Gurmail was born before Partition in Noorpur village of Ludhiana, while Sakini was born in Gurdas village of Sheikhupura in 1955. During the turmoil of 1947, Gurmail and his mother were left behind in their native village. After her father wrote to the authorities to send them to Pakistan, they managed to move his wife, but 5-year-old Gurmail, who was busy playing somewhere was left behind, as the team didn't have orders to wait.
As per Sakina Bibi, her mother could not tolerate the separation from her son and died when Sakina was over two years old. When she was in Class III, her father Wali Muhammad too passed away. Before his death, Sakina came across a letter sent by her brother in 1961. When she asked her father why they hadn't told her about her brother, he replied her mother died of this pain, and she was too young to understand all this," Dhillon narrated.

In the video message, Sakina Bibi said her parents had tried to locate her brother but were unsuccessful. "I came to know about my brother after stumbling across some documents at home and then asking my father. When my brother sent us a letter with a photograph in 1961, he was studying in Class VIII. His letter said people who had kept him were bringing him up like their own child. We were unable to make out the return address on the letter," Sakina said. "My mother left this world waiting to see him. After my parents died, I too looked for my brother and so did my son-in-law. I prayed everywhere for our reunion, even at Nankana Sahib."

In the message, Sakina Bibi also said she was not sure whether someone told her brother he has a sister. "I hope we meet some day. Which sister would not desire to meet her brother? I have no other relatives, " she said, tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks. Dhillon said that after uploading the video and some photographs, he got a response from Jassowal village's sarpanch. "As of now she (Sakina) is in the hospital for surgery . We will make her talk to her brother in a day or two," he said.
Sarpanch of Jassowal village said he had called Gurmail Singh (who came on a wheelchair) and showed him the video of his sister's appeal. "Thinking it was a video call, a teary-eyed Gurmail whispered, 'Main tera veera hi aaan (I am your brother)'."
The sarpanch said Gurmail was raised by a Sikh family and resides in the village with his wife and daughter.
Talking to TOI, Gurmail said he is happy his sister located him. "I used to remember my family members but couldn't find them. I had heard my mother died waiting for me. Now that my sister has found me, I can even go there tomorrow to meet her. I don't have a passport but I will get one. I wish to take biscuits made in our village for her," he added. His wife Raghuveer Kaur too expressed happiness over finding her sister-in-law.